IMO Year 2013 = could be a decisive = "make-or-break" year for FORMAL/LEGAL SHARIA IN THE US.
Iff Amerika can have double standards for illegal Mexicans-Hispanics, etc. it can have or do for Muslims.

IRONY > IMO IT WILL BE AMERICAN MUSLIMS INCLUD RADICAL ISLAMISTS WHOM WILL DEMAND FREE, FAIR, + OPEN SHARIA LAW IN AMERIKA, NOT ELECTION OR RE-ELECTION-MINDED, SUPER-PCORRECT, WAFFLING AMERICAN POLITICOS.

Leftism has devolved into a kind of scam run not only on others but also on the self. Leftists are brilliant at convincing themselves of their own altruism and then broadcasting it to the public, thus providing cover for the most conventionally greedy and selfish behaviors. We see that in our society all the time: the quondam Marxists of Hollywood, the media, and the academy blathering on about economic equality while living lives the Medici could not have dreamed of.

Part of this construct is a prevent game, a public persona and system erected so privilege cannot be questioned or undermined. A nomenklatura more successful and sophisticated than anything ever conceived in the Soviet Union. The result of this is a highly stratified society. As is well known but scarcely reported, blacks and Latinos have actually done worse under Obama than other groups. Normally, that would be unconscionable, considering the rhetoric. But as we know, its all about the rhetoric. Reality is unimportant  an inconvenience.

#1
The Lefties thought that US-Western nuclear firepower made them invincible - but as the Europe steadily increasingly devols into EURABIA, they are re-discovering that CONTROL OF ADVANCED NUKES + MILTECHS, ETC. HAS NOTHING TO DO WID IMMIGRATION + ANTI-NATIONALIST
"DIVERSITY" IN THE NAME OF WELFARE-NANNY SUPER-STATISM.

The Jihadis are gonna behead or otherwise destroy these Commies.

IRONY II + ITS THESE TOTALITARIAN SECULARISTS + ALIGNED THAT ARE GOING TO INDUCE THE "THIRD SECRET OF FATIMA", I.E. A FUTURE UNKNOWN POPE WALKING OVER THE BODIES OF HIS DEAD PRIESTS AMID A DESTROYED CITIE(S) JUST BEFORE HIS OWN FINAL EXECUTION.

Congratulations, Commies, da plan worked - you achieved what you wanted, WHAT ARE YOU COMPLAINING OR ANGRY ABOUT NOW???

Have you ever read in the newspaper that a political leader or a prime minister from an Islamic nation has visited Japan?

Have you ever come across news that the Ayatollah of Iran or the King of Saudi Arabia or even a Saudi Prince has visited Japan?

Japan is a country keeping Islam at bay.
Japan has put strict restrictions on Islam and ALL Muslims.

The reasons are:

a) Japan is the only nation that does not give citizenship to Muslims.
b) In Japan permanent residency is not given to Muslims.
c) There is a strong ban on the propagation of Islam in Japan.
d) In the University of Japan, Arabic or any Islamic language is not taught.
e) One cannot import a Koran published in the Arabic language.
f) According to data published by the Japanese government, it has given temporary residency to only 2 lakhs, Muslims, who must follow the Japanese Law of the Land. These Muslims should speak Japanese and carry their religious rituals in their homes.
g) Japan is the only country in the world that has a negligible number of embassies in Islamic countries.
h) Japanese people are not attracted to Islam at all.
I) Muslims residing in Japan are the employees of foreign companies.
j) Even today, visas are not granted to Muslim doctors, engineers or managers sent by foreign companies.
k) In the majority of companies it is stated in their regulations that no Muslims should apply for a job.
l) The Japanese government is of the opinion that Muslims are fundamentalist and even in the era of globalization they are not willing to change their Muslim laws.
m) Muslims cannot even think about renting a house in Japan.
n) If anyone comes to know that his neighbor is a Muslim then the whole neighborhood stays alert.
o) No one can start an Islamic cell or Arabic Madrasa in Japan
p) There is no Sharia law in Japan.
q) If a Japanese woman marries a Muslim then she is considered an outcast forever.
r) According to Mr. Kumiko Yagi, Professor of Arab/Islamic Studies at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, There is a mind frame in Japan that Islam is a very narrow minded religion and one should stay away from it.
s) Freelance journalist Mohammed Juber toured many Islamic countries after 9/11 including Japan. He found that the Japanese were confident that extremists could do no harm in Japan.

[Dawn] IN Pakistain, it is not unusual for those with power, money or influence to terrorise lesser mortals. In a society awash with guns and where macho, medieval mindsets prevail, human life and dignity are worth little. This was proved by the tragic murder of Shahzeb Khan. The young man, son of a police brass hat, was rubbed out in Bloody Karachi...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...'s Defence area late last month, reportedly following an argument. As investigations have moved slowly, the Supreme Court's orders to the advocate general and provincial police chief of Sindh to file a report with the court by Jan 4 are not surprising. The suspects, who are absconding, are said to belong to politically well-connected families; as the chief justice noted, the authorities have failed to make progress in the case due to "immense political pressure".

The young man's death has caused a considerable stir in civil society, with demonstrations calling for justice for the victim. It is a shame the police has displayed a lack of interest in pursuing the case, despite the fact that the victim's father is a deputy superintendent in the force. Even more disturbing are media reports that some black sheep within the police are tipping off the suspects thus preventing their capture. The victim's father also claims he faced resistance while trying to register the FIR. If the son of a senior police official can be murdered in cold blood, what can guarantee the security of the common citizen's life? It is unfortunate that it was the police's lackadaisical approach that caused the apex court to step in to ensure the case was followed up. It is important that the suspects are caught, prosecuted and punished if found guilty. It would send a powerful message that the high and mighty cannot get away with murder simply on the basis of their clout and connections.

For Iran, 2013 could be one of the most challenging years-both at home and in relations with the outside world-since the 1979 revolution. The Islamic Republic faces the potential of stronger economic sanctions and even an Israeli and/or U.S. military strike because of its intransigence in complying with U.N. resolutions on its nuclear program. The world's only modern theocracy also must deal with twin domestic challenges-- deepening malaise among the young and increasing tensions among the political elite. Home-grown problems could outweigh the regime's foreign policy woes.

Iran and the world's major powers have all indicated an interest in a new round of diplomatic talks to end the long standoff over Tehran's controversial nuclear program. The gap is still enormous, however, after three rounds in Istanbul, Baghdad and Moscow in 2012.
Khamenei is not easily swayed by pressure. He views Iran's uranium enrichment program not only as a natural and legal right, but also a measure of Tehran's success against the United States. Tehran also spins the so-called Arab Spring as an "Islamic awakening" modeled on its own Islamic revolution. However, Khamenei is also savvy enough to know that the same political changes represent new challenges for his regime as well. And other regional powers, most notably Turkey, are increasingly questioning Iran's geopolitical aspirations.

Iran begins 2013 with growing economic woes. The economy is now the Islamic Republic's Achilles Heel. Iran has been successful in educating millions of Iranians and rebuilding its infrastructure after the Iran-Iraq War. But it has not reached the potential of a country with one of the world's largest reserves of oil and natural gas and a well-educated and resourceful population. Khamenei needs tens of billions of dollars in oil revenues to maintain a vast and often loyal network that has maintained his rule for the past 23 years. But the world's toughest sanctions, soaring inflation, and the plummeting value of Iran's currency produced the perfect economic storm in 2012. And Tehran's economic crisis will not end any time soon.

Iran's oil exports declined by as much as one-half in 2012. But chronic mismanagement is the chief cause of Iran's economic problems. Corruption across the regime has contributed to the economic crisis. The Revolutionary Guards, which control large parts of the economy, are also reportedly corrupt. The most powerful military organization in Iran has charitable foundations (bonyads) that are tax-exempt and largely free of government scrutiny. The Guards have also been linked to illicit smuggling and narcotics trafficking. Some veteran officers have reportedly amassed significant wealth.

The Islamic Republic begins 2013 with anxiety among both the public and the government over the impending presidential election. The 2009 election produced the deepest political schism since the revolution, with millions turning out in massive popular protests across the country to challenge the official outcome. It gave birth to the opposition Green Movement and created an enduring crisis of legitimacy for the Supreme Leader. The 2013 election may be more tightly scripted than any earlier presidential race to prevent serious debates or competition. Candidates are technically vetted by the Guardian Council, but they must also have the Supreme Leader's unspoken approval. As the regime becomes increasingly militarized, candidates may also need to either have ties to the Revolutionary Guards or be amenable to its interests. The spectrum of rivals reflects the unprecedented divisions. All were among the early revolutionaries who ousted the shah and hung together for more than a decade. Ahmadinejad, a hardliner who had Khamenei's full endorsement just four years ago, is now perceived as a threat to the Supreme Leader's hold on power.

But the most important challenge to the regime may still come from the Green Movement. Its symbolic leaders, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, are under house arrest but they remain a potent threat to Khamenei's rule, perhaps even more than an Israeli military strike or U.S. sanctions.

IMO Iran never will iff it can help it - ITV the burden is on US-Israel, etal. to initiate de facto war or conflict while Iran nuclearizes + expands, modernizes its military capabilities.
UNLESS SHTF BETWEEN RULING SUNNI GOVTS + LOCAL SHIA POPULATIONS IN NEIGHBORING GCC STATES, IRAN WILL STAY ON THE "STRATEGIC DEFENSIVE" VEE THE US-ISRAEL AMAP ALAP.

* IIRC TOPIX [paraph]> OBAMA TO SEE NO MORE POLITICAL VICTORIES IN 2013.

A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.